Lock.



Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

JIVVEN TOR A ltorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES R. FLETCHER, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGN O'R TO THE YALE & TOWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 190s I To all whoiri'i-t may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. FLETCHER, of Stamford, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptipn of the invention, such as ,will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

My invention relates to an improvement in locks, of that type which is master keyed by a tumbler which lifts all the other tumblers. In locks of this type the spring pressure of the several tumblers, is transmitted to the lifter tumbler, thus causing the latter to tip sidewise, or in a direction to force the other tumblers otf the post supporting the several tumblers, when the cover plate of the lock is removed, and the object of my invention is to provide means for preventing the tipping movement of the lifter plunger. v

WVith this end in view my invention consists in the parts and combination of arts as will be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a lock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the cover plate being removed. Fig. 3 is a view showing the bolt, the tumblers being removed. Figf is a view of the lifter tunibler. Fig. is a view of the change key and Fig. 6'is a view of the master key.

While I have shown and will describe the improvement in connection with a cabinet lock, I would have it understood that I do not limit its use to such looks, as it may be applied to any lock employing a lifter tumbler such as is herein shown and described.

1 represents the lock case, provided with a cover plate 1 which conceals the tumblers and holds the latter in place on their bearing post 2, and3 is the sliding bolt, slotted at its inner end' to embrace the post 2, and be guided by the latter, and provided at a point in rear of its head, with the fence l, which coacts with the tumblers to lock and release the bolt.

5 is the lifter tumbler, provided with the lug 6, which latter passes through slots in the other or change key tumblers and operates, when lifted by the master key, to lift all the change key tumblers and aline the gates of thelatter with the fence at on the bolt, so that the latter may be retracted by the master key.

l'leretofore in locks having lifter tuniblers, the latter have been mounted on the post on which the change key tumblers are mounted, hence the lifter tumbler has had a bearing equal to the thickness of the tumbler itself, and as the spring pressure from all the tumblers? is transmitted tothe lifter tumbler, through the lug (i, which as before explained passes through slots in the several tumblers 7, there is a lateral pressure transmitted to the lifter tumbler 5 which tends to tilt sidewise, or in a direction to force the other tumbler 7 oif the post supporting the several tumblers, when the cover plate of the lock is removed.

In the present instance I provide the lifter tumbler .3 with a fixed sleeve 8 of sufficient length to pass through all the change key tumblers 7 and form the bearing therefor. This sleeve is mounted on bearing post 2, and provides an elongated bearing for the lifter tumbler, and a bearing for all the change key tumblers. This elongated beariug prevents any lateral tipping of the lifter tumbler, hence there is no pressure on the change key tumblers tending to force the outer-change tumblers off their bearin post when the cover plate of the casing is re moved.

The lifter tumbler 5 is provided with a gate of sutlicient size to permit the fence on the bolt to enter when in its normal position, that is with its end resting against the fence, or when moved to its extreme position by the master key 9. The change key l() is so constructed to engage all'the tumblers but the lifter tumbler, hence when the tumblers have been set by such key, the further movement of the keyretracts the bolt in the usual manner, the fence on the bolt movinginto the gates in the several tumblers.

The master key 9 is cut away opposite all the tumblers engaged by thechange key 10 and operates to engage the lifter tumbler only and the latter acting through the lug 65, operates to lift or move all the tumblers 7 until the gates therein aline with the fence.

The keys are guided by the rotary slotted and series change key tumblers mounted said projecting bearing sleeve.

. The combination with a case and a post 'eiii, of a lifter tumbler, a lag projecting :efrom, a bearing sleeve carried by the 5 tumbler end mounted on the post, and

e of change key tumblers mounted on' eve, each ,change key tumbler having or the passage of the lug on the lifter In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing- Witnes, es.

change 1 J'AiiiEs R. FLETCHER.

Taitnesses H HZJRY (1. SMITH, 1%" men 1i Emvxx.

eziic tumbler and mounted on ihe post, 30 

